“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

CHRIST-LIKENESS

Yes Jesus is the reward but He will give tangible gifts which will allow access to Him as well as power and authority to rule with Him to serve the Father and others. Remember that right now Jesus is a man (glorified man) sitting at the right hand of the Father and will return as such. Therefore when He comes He can only be at one place at any given time. How many of us reading this article have access to President Obama’s/David Cameron’s private chambers, boardroom or even the White House/10 Downing Street? Why?

I made this statement in PART 1 of these series of articles that “Those who are like Jesus will be found worthy to inherit His Kingdom”. (Rev 2:26-27, Matt 5:3;5)

Think about it, right now even in this age we all have equal access to know Jesus and the Father but we all rightly understand that some people know God or are more closely intimate with Him than others.

Some might say, “My pastor will surely know God more than me because of his/her calling and gifting”. Well that actually is not necessarily true, or should I say it doesn’t have to be. Your pastor more likely know more about God than you because of the assignment God has given him/her. The pastor’s assignment means he spends more time praying and studying the Word, and God gives him revelations and understanding of Himself and His ways so that he could make them known to you (i.e. the congregation). Whenever  the pastor shares those revelations with you, you also gain knowledge about God and, just like you, your pastor also has to work (or walk) it out. The knowledge of God your pastor gains due to his assignment and gifting does not make him any closer to God (i.e. know God intimately) than you. Knowing God and knowing about God are very different things. One has to do with INFORMATION about God and the other INTIMACY with God. However knowing some information about God helps build intimacy with God. This is why one of your pastor’s assignments is sharing and teaching the knowledge he receives from God to you.

For this reason one aspect at the judgement seat of Christ is being rewarded based on our faithfulness to what we were called or assigned to do and not the gifting that comes with the assignments. For example a pastor might be given some revelations to share with his congregation as his assignment. However motivated by money and fame or even assuming that the world should hear what he received from God, he might decide to write a book to sell and it might even be a huge success. In this example he is using his gift for something he has not been assigned to do. Writing the book might have brought blessing to him but only in this life; it will not endure (i.e. not rewarded). On that day at the judgement seat, Jesus cannot and will not be manipulated; He will see through every little pretension and every hidden motive in the heart.

There are prophets and apostles today who experience visions of God and Jesus and are frequently taken to heaven as part of their assignments. Even with such experiences it does not necessarily mean they’re more intimate or close to God than a “stay at home” mum who faithfully  raises her children in the ways and fear of God, while seeking God in the midst of all that.

Moses demonstrated this very clearly. As far as I know, after the ‘fall of man’ the only person God spoke to face to face was Moses. So if anyone should know God more intimately it has to be Moses right? Well apparently not. After all the face to face encounters Moses had with God and the demonstration of glory, power and authority God did through Moses, Moses  still asked God: “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you….Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord (I AM), in your presence…” Exo 33:12;18-19.

Moses shows us that experiences with God, gifting and anointing from God do not necessarily equate to intimacy with God. Unless we take those revelations and experiences to abide in God, i.e. talk to Him, seek Him, obey Him and have Him change us, they’ll simply remain revelation knowledge and experiences.

This is what Paul meant when He said the glory we have in the new covenant is far better than the one Moses and the Israelite had in the old covenant because theirs was transitory.Moses reflected the glory of God outwardly whenever he encountered God (Exo 34:29-35), however when we behold the glory (i.e. revelation knowledge) of God, we are (meant to be) changed or transform in some way to become like Jesus. (2 Cor 3:7-18). Revelation knowledge of God is revealed to us to help transform us to become like Christ by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Unlike Moses even though He spoke to God face to face and beheld His glory, he didn’t have the Holy Spirit living in Him to changed him from the inside out to become like the person He was beholding, but we do in the new covenant.

In this way what we have is far better than what Moses had even though none of us have seen or spoken to God face to face. Experiences and revelations of God in themselves do not change you; what you do with them or how you co-operate with the Holy Spirit to do in you is what moulds you to be mature in Christ (i.e. Christ-like or Christian).

Those who are (most) like Christ will be found worthy to inherit (rewarded with) His Kingdom.

Being found worthy has very little to do with your calling, assignments, gifting or anointing, your influence, or ministry impact. It has however everything to do with your maturity in Christ through love, faithfulness and obedience.

…Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5

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